Louise Gray

Scottish born designer Louise Gray is one of fashion’s newest arrivals. Independent from a young age, Gray left the family home at 17 to study textiles in Glasgow, before moving onto the prestigious Glasgow School of Art to complete her BA in textile design. Gray said "Art school was kind of the cliché, but so fun; it felt very free. It definitely influenced my design style – you had to learn the four disciplines: knit; weave; print and embroidery. I didn't like weaving – I thought it was so boring. I felt like a Victorian child at the back of all these looms.” Following this Gray complete her MA at Central Saint Martins, and she has now launched her clever mixes of pattern and colour onto the fashion scene.

From the start of Gray’s studies she was drawn to the techniques of e...mbroidery and print where she was free to be experimental and innovative. Her work comprises of vast combinations of texture as she likes to allow her pieces to grow and change as she develops her ideas. By following the fashion advice given by her mother ‘Everything matches if you like it’ Gray has created collections that are cleverly thought out celebrations of colour, texture and print; on paper they shouldn’t work, but in front of your eyes it is mesmerising.

After Gray staging her work at LFW for the past 8 seasons, along with receiving NEWGEN sponsorship her career is exploding. As well as selling her collections internationally, she has collaborated with various designers such as; Pollini on a shoe collection, Cotton USA, Judy Blame, Nicholas Kirkwood and most recently Asos creating a clothing and jewellery collection which has now sold out online. 

By gaining so much coverage from her rapid growth Gray is instantly recognisable on the catwalk for collections that contain riots of colour, and explosions of bright pigments and clashing textures. She often combines primary-coloured chiffons layered with graphic silk prints, swatches of beading, and naive little scraps of appliqué and embroidery.

Gray’s resolution to keep her collections "honest"; to portray the essence of herself in the clothes has been apparent through every collection. She has stated that she believes everyone has an individual way of dressing, not everybody wants to have the same conventional coat in winter. Fashion is the thing you can be yourself in, you can dress how you want without caring about other people’s opinions. This is what Gray works towards, giving free expression and no limitations within her clothing.